I grew up in Chicago. This photo is an overhead view of streets by my parents house.

Ever since my folks helped me over the drivers license finish line I had to figure out challenges like congested traffic, the endless stop light delays, and how to merge into traffic.

Merging Into Traffic

In the Chicagoland metro at the end of the ramp you immediately enter into the tragic flow. You get a running start and then you must force yourself into the oncoming traffic.

Either you have initiative and are assertive or everyone behind you will honk impatiently adding to your anxiety.

A Gamble That I Wish That I Didn’t Take

A couple of years ago I followed another car onto the ramp on a weekday at about 1:00 P.M. There was a moderate amount of traffic on Interstate 94 north of Minneapolis. I followed about fifty yards behind the car in front of me.

I looked at the car in front of me. I looked at the traffic flow that I would be merging into. I looked back at the car in front of me.

We approached the point of the ramp at which you look to the left and accelerate to merge into the flow of traffic.

I looked again to the left to check traffic flow.

I accelerated, then turned back to look at the car in front of me. The driver did not accelerate. The driver hesitated. I slammed on my brakes, but to no avail. I hit the other car doing some minor damage to the trunk.

I assumed, I gambled, that the driver in front of me was thinking like me, driving like me. I was wrong.